The stringless marionette
by Gaius The Dagger Mouth
Summary: Sasori is back and highly impressed, he has a new idea for his next version of human puppets and Sakura has proven herself worthy of becoming his newest art work...whether she wants to or not...
1. Chapter 1

(Okay this is my first fanfic please don't burn it's a pure fanfic, Sasori is my favourite Naruto villain, and I do not own Naruto if I did he would be Hinata's boy toy by now)

Sakura looked at the two boys she had loved. Naruto was crying realising what he must try to do, even Sasuke was letting out a few tears, "I guess he must now know how I felt when he betrayed us and turned to evil for power," she thought to herself. The supposed to be dead red haired puppet heard all her thoughts as he thought back to her "I thought you loved them?" he asked testing her. "Loved….past tense, you took that part of me away," she though back to him.

(a few months earlier)

Akasuna no Sasori lay dead before Zetsu, who was scolding Tobi for his foolish. Zetsu followed the instructions Sasori left for him in case of his death, he was to take his dead body mainly his heart piece to a shinobi of the hidden mist who was unwittingly under the mind control jutsu. His grandmother Chiyo wasn't the only one to know of the revival jutsu. Sasori had long ago discovered this jutsu as well and prepared for this day long ago. The shinobi remembered who he was as soon as he saw Zetsu. He bowed and accepted Sasori's body before performing the jutsu that would claim his life.

Sasori stood moments latter repairing himself with an assortment of tools. Zetsu appears again behind him with sacks of broken puppet parts. "Your late…did you at least gather everything, I mustn't be missing a fragment," Sasori tells the human plant. Zetsu nodded dropping his load before turning to leave. Sasori open a sack and inspects the pieces planning on repairing his whole collection. Before Zetsu morphed away Sasori asked him "one more favour, I want to learn more about a pink haired medical shinobi called Sakura she lives in Konohagakure, I'm planning on a not only a new puppet but a whole know design," he tells him. Zetsu smiled he was one who got the leftovers from Sasori's art.

Sasori finishes sealing away the last of his human puppet army and the 3rd. Thankfully only it's unimportant head was destroyed, it was the body the counted. He was so pleased he finished far ahead of schedule, and crawling back inside of Hiruko felt so nice. Pein thought it would be handy for Akatsuki for everyone to believe him dead gave Sasori a "vacation of sorts" righting him off as dead so keep him a hidden weapon. Sasori couldn't be more pleased to have this short freedom to plan his newest master piece, his three hundredth puppet.

(In Konohagakure)

Sakura starred at the restrained Sasuke. "This village killed my clan and they had let me hunt down my brother and kill him, after all that he had done for me, I though you loved me but you hold me here…" Sasuke said angrily to Sakura. Knowing he was completely drained of any chakra he was physically harmless, but didn't take any bite of his words, "guess this is tough love," she said to herself torn between happiness to have him back and the distress of having him back. He was healing nicely she thought checking his bandages Naruto was already released from the hospital both because he does heal faster and the victor usually is less damaged then the defeated. "I told you I keep my promises," Naruto told her lying broken beside Sasuke after their battle. "He did his part and brought him here," she said again to herself, "now it's my turn to keep him here." She prepares her self to battle with Sasuke's hate, and she planed to win.

Zetsu was licking his lips watching the healthy shinobi girl, she eat very healthy he was happy to note. Sasori abounded Hiruko outside of the city, already ten controlled border shinobi opened up the villages defences to him letting him easily slip in. From Zetsu's spying he already knew her whole daily routine, arriving at the Haruno household 11:30 PM. He had half an hour to prepare himself within her room before she arrived from working at the hospital. Like clock work she walked in her front door at midnight and into her room three minuets latter. Carefully hidden he waited ten minuets while Sakura readied herself for bed and tiredly crawled beneath her covers.

"That's something I really like about you Sakura, your on time," he tells her hovering right above her. Her eyes flew open both frighten that some one was in her room, and horrified recognizing that voice. At first glace she believed she was having a nightmare form work and stress she reached up to hit the image above her. She realized this was real when she couldn't move her arm. Several blue chakra stings from a panel on Sasori's chest had attached them selves to her body.

"Sasori? It can't be your dead we killed you, and how are you doing this? Chakra strings for puppets don't work on people," she said still trying to convince herself this was a dream. He gave a quiet chuckle "dead? Yes I have been since I left the sand village and became a puppet, and when you allowed Chiyo use puppet strings on you to control you, you opened doors inside you to be controlled by some one equally or greater then her skill to wield you like a toy," he explained to her. "What you want with me, revenge?" she asked him feeling powerless. "I want two things that you can give me, first I want an equal, second I want you in my collection," he said.

Sakura walked to the hospital early morning with a bright smile and up beat attitude. She carried Sasori's heart and two puppet hands in her purse while his shell lay hidden in her room. Stings from the twitching fingers ran into her body making her completely under his control. She screamed on the inside as she smiled sweetly to the other staff making her way into Sasuke's room. Sasuke prepared himself for another assault onto Sakura. After the first words left his mouth Sakura reached out and grabbed him by the throat squeezing slightly "I don't care failure, you had hatred but that was foolish hatred burns everything, and now you're nothing so please shut up kid," she said. Sasori made her go through her routine before making her leave. He notices she was struggling harder and using her to say "I'm cutting away your relationships you'll soon not need them."

She stopped struggling after he made her run into Naruto, he made her let him down hard and she seemed to lose her will. She returned home and ignored the red stains of the walls that where her parents, took the heart out of her purse and placed it back into Sasori. He stood up and smiled to her knowing a good deal of her spirit was broken. "Lets go," he said flicking a finger. Sakura followed him hardly fighting back as she pasted the front gate of Konohagakure.

"Wait Sakura!" Naruto called racing after her. She only had moments knowing that capturing the Kyuubi was still on Sasori's to do list she quickly pleaded with him. "No please, I swear I'll go with you I mean you will not have to put strings on me, I just got one of them back you can't take the other one from me now please," she pleaded to him hoping to reach something human in him. Instead she found something logical with in him "alright ill even take the strings off you now, you must send him away and make him believe your leaving else I'll take you both, he is powerful but what chance you think he'll have against me even if he killed me are you sure he won't become poisoned and live if you die with me, one string will remain between our hearts just in case now go," he instructed her slipping into the trees.

"Wait!" Naruto called approaching Sakura. She swallowed hard and turned to him "go away Naruto baka," she said holding back any new tears. Naruto slowed down as he neared her "Sakura this makes no sense I brought him back I know what the village has done to him but when I become Hokage I'll change it I'll fix it and seek justice for what happened," he offers guessing that is why Sakura was attempting to leave. Sakura deciding to let him believe this lie "I love Sasuke and I also promised to do anything for him, so I'll give him his revenge it was Itachi I would have killed but now it looks like it has to be Konohagakure now, I've learned everything I can from Tsunade and now I seek some one more powerful to teach me to finish what Sasuke can not," she lied. Naruto shook his head unable to accept this "Sakura….how….why do you do this," Naruto struggled to say, it was clear to her she was clearly ripping apart his soul before her eyes "to me….after I get us back together again you…." She turned from him unable to watch any more "just go Naruto, I'm on path you cannot follow, and I….I hope you never….will…" she struggled with the last bit. "Saku-" Naruto started to say. She turned to him and charged chakra into her foot giving her a burst of speed to surprise Naruto, then a chakra punch to the gut whispering into his ear "I'm sorry" as he blacked out finishing with "-ra."

Sasori stepped out of the flora in Hiruko and said to the broken weeping girl "you took you time, but I see you have accomplished the goal come," he told her in deep gruff voice. She placed Naruto on a bench and set him comfortable before following Sasori feeling complete defeat in her soul.

(ya did the ending remind you of a similar even in the original series? Okay this is first chapter ya not much love more of are really dark story but I hope to add some lemon next chapters unless of course I become engulfed in burns, as always OCD people welcome your grammar comments and any ideas points totally welcome)


	2. Chapter 2

(And here is the second chapter I've wanted to write this fan fic when ever I listened to Forsaken by KoRn, warning this is where the lemons are rolled out in full force, you have been warned…also I do not own Naruto, else I would have made him stop obsessing over Sakura long ago)

Sakura was struggling with herself. She figured death would be better then this as she leaned against the controlled leaf shinobi. With a chakra seal on her and the chakra string connecting their hearts was still attached as she walked beside Sasori. If only she could to leap at Sasori and smash his heart killing them both it would be a swift and righteous death. Inner Sakura scolded and ridiculed her for not being able to escape this situation, but she knew she had no chance against the puppet master with barley any strength. So she resided to drag her feet leaning as far away Puppet master as she could.

They where escorted out of the fire country by the ten shinobi Sasori had placed mind control over, Sakura new the search parties would never find them. She felt dirty too, like she deserves all this after what she did to Naruto. There were no strings attached to her making her do what she had done to him, and she knew perfectly well the agony he must be suffering from. She pictured him now thrown out of the hospital after leaping on Sasuke beating him up for convincing her to elope from the village. She wondered how Sasuke would react to that news, would he be happy? angry? or would he even care?

"Were almost there, I'm sorry for having kept you waiting," Sasori said after they left the fire country and approached an underground den. "So soon?" she said to herself as fear gripped her, her breathing escalated as if it where her taking her last few breaths. Sasori make a seal sign and the earth opened up a passage for them both to walk in. What she saw made her gasp in shock and horror. Perfect wooden replicas of Deidara and Itachi hung up on the cavern wall. "Like them? I admit Deidara was hard to reconstruct as is Sasuke blew him into so many pieces, but I think I did an alright job, though I'm so pleased with myself with Itachi, I have done something Orochimaru couldn't, obtain the sharingan," he cheerfully said proud of his handiwork. Sakura took a few steps back fearful of the puppets before her. "On my next trip to Konohagakure I will have your help to acquire the remains of Kakuza, then to find the shinobi Shikamaru to discover where the remains of Hidan are buried," Sasori explained. "Your....you are going to turn every one we killed all our enemies into puppets?" She asked him fearing that with him, there would be no way Konohagakure could ever defeat their enemies if they always just came back. "No, that's not true I'll never posses Orochimaru, his body was destroyed if that makes you feel any better," he said as matter of fact.

"So this is what your going to make me into?" Sakura asked. Sasori turned to her "No, I'm going to make you into something greater, with all my human puppets, they were always dead with I made them, the only living puppet I have made was....myself," he explained. Sakura perfectly understood what he meant by this, this was truly worst then death, now she understood what he meant when he said he wanted an equal. "No...no you cant do that to me, I'd rather die then live on as something like you!" she screamed at him defiantly. Sasori climbed out of Hiruko and turned to work on his puppet "now now, it's no so bad, from how i see it Sakura, your beautiful, talented, smart, and strong your the perfect women, with something so beautiful it would be a waste to hand something over like that to time, your body would wither, so would your strength, you mind, your talents, I'm going to protect that for all time," he explained calmly to her. "No, don't you get it, people are not meant to last forever, their beautiful for only short while..." Sakura retorted before Sasori cut her off with a laugh. "Oh Sakura your so young, you sound just like Deidara over their and look at world now but, your right that isn't human, that's why I'm going to make you something greater" he said grinning with his ageless face.

Sasori led Sakura to a holding cell and left her there as he readied his materials. She paced back and forth in her cell, he had left chakra seals on her, leaving her feeling completely weak. He had left a great mound of food for her out of curtsy. At first she considered not eating but thinking it to be her last meal she enjoyed as much as she could. She thought she would go insane waiting for him to return, the dread of waiting for her end bored heavily on her mind. She jumped in panic when she head the sound of a key turning in a lock. Out of a last effort she rushed to door planning of overwhelming Sasori to make some desperate escape. Blue chakra string stopped her merely feet from the door. "I'm ready now but before we begin, I want just a few things from you," he said walking up to her frozen form.

Sakura watched in frozen horror as Sasori walked up to her and kissed her. She had been saving her first true kiss for Sasuke and Sasori was crushing his cold unfeeling lips against her. She wanted it to end, it felt wrong, cold, and unloving. Sasori pulled his lips from her said to her with his cold smirk "even though I can't feel the softness or warmth of you lips I do have to say I did enjoy that, it is so nice to feel the last of your fighting spirit, I shall miss that," he told her. He flicked out a finger and Sakura leaned back falling against a bed behind her. He gestured his left ring finger and she brought her arms to her sides. A change came over Sasori as his eyes changed from being half closed and dull or wide open and intense. Sakura began to panic in her frozen state knowing what he looked like that before he uses himself. Her emerald eyes grew wide and wild as she looked into his grey ones. He shrugged off his cloak reviling his puppet body. His intestinal spear rose up and hovered before Sakura adding to his terrifying look.

"You killed me Sakura Haruno, you humiliated me, and gave me the largest delay possible, for that I'm going to take everything from you before I take you life," he tells her. She silently screamed as the intestine/tentacle slide under her shirt ripped the cloths from her. He was very sure not to cut her precious pale skin, he was happy to get a full view of his soon to be master piece, ripping clothing from her one piece at time, stripping away any pride from her. She was looking away from him unable to hide her nudity from him, she was flush with shame. Sasori felt he was ready to take the last thing from her as he dropped pants. He had completely replaced his whole body save his heart, he didn't leave any pieces missing. Sakura couldn't help glace at him, she was horrified to see he had a male piece. She looked into his unfeeling eyes trying to plea mercy.

Sasori positioned him self above her as he said to her "I'm incapable of gaining any physical pleasure from this but the pain this should cause you will give me satisfaction." He thrust himself forward mercilessly into Sakura tearing away her sacred virginity from her. He gave her back control of her mouth, she screamed and wailed pleasantly for him. Having no need to satisfy himself he continued on till the pain he was causing her lessoned to a dull ache, her screams subsided to "uh" with each thrust. He stood up and withdraw from her detaching the strings from her. How many hours he had been violating her, she had no idea, but now she was beyond caring, beyond anything, her world was shattered and she curled up into a ball on the bed. He looked at her pitiful beautiful form, soon she would better then this, he thought as grabbed a needle he had earlier prepared and accuracy injected it into her curled up forum. She turned to face him out of shock as looked at his face as her world grew dim.

(wow…yes I'm going to be seeking psychiatric help ASAP, well I did warn lemons, OCD people feel free to comment and I'll try to finish to the next chapter soon save with less (no) rape given people want)


	3. Chapter 3

(Okay well I promised more, FYI, I don't hate Sakura (though I'm a Hinata fan) and nor do I support rape (only in fanfics) or the abuse of women, I do not own Naruto, if I did Sasuke wouldn't be so emo)

Sasori rarely "felt" anything. In fact he nearly never feels anything save when he completes a new work of art. Pride, over whelming pride was the only way to describe how he felt as he dipped a brush in red ink. A perfect replica of Sakura laid before him save a white capsule resided where her heart would be. She wasn't like his other wooden puppets, she still had her pale creamy skin tone, if her joints where covered even the whole of the hidden leaf wouldn't notice a difference in her. He had repaid his debt to Zetsu for his earlier services with Sakura's useless remains. Her heart alone remained protected in capsule inside the Sakura puppet. He wasn't disappointed it took him two weeks longer then he predicted, he was annoyed at first that he was behind schedule but the product was worth it. He painted his signature like signing a painting on Sakura's heart piece. He looked at her perfection for a few moments before making a hand seal that would give his master piece life.

Sakura's heart lurched and the veins reached out attaching themselves into the puppet. Sakura opened her eyes immediately in response, Sasori noticed right away she had her eyes half closed and her emerald eyes looked dull. She slowly turned her head and examined her surroundings looking more interested then anything else. Slowly her vision rested on Sasori. She remembered clearly what he had done to her, she knew herself, her whole life, but it seemed distant, unreal some how. She felt nothing, she felt no anger or rage towards him, no sadness for herself, no pain, nothing, and the voice of inner Sakura was silent. Sasori reached out tenderly and placed a hand on her cheek. She didn't flinch or pull back, nor showed any sign of noticing or even caring. He watched her with chakra strings in the other hand case she had retained any of her humanity but it seemed she lost it. He stood back and said to her "Stand…stand up my marionette, my stringless puppet." Sakura looked up at him and seeing no reason to disobey she stood up.

Sasori was thrilled, to command a puppet without even twitching a finger. Sasori couldn't wait to test his puppet to it's fullest but for now he would merely entertain him self while he plotted. "Sakura dance for me," he commanded. He had yet to cloth her, he realized as she gracefully moved. He was captivated by her beauty, the light reflected off her budded bosoms, she twirled and danced in seeming slow motion turned and swaying with grace she did not have in her previous forum. How long he watched her he did not know but he knew that it was getting dark. "You may stop, thank you that was beautiful," he said. "Your welcome," she replied. Sasori was surprised about this, it was her voice, even her child hood friend Ino could not deny that was her voice, but it lacked the emotion and the Sakura personality it once had. "You can speak?" he asked curios of his little doll. "Hai…" she replied.

Sasori admitted latter to himself he had forgot to acquire appropriate cloths and the basic cloak he gave his typical puppets didn't suit her. He had to a spare Akatsuki cloak it needed only minor adjustments to fit her correctly. He must admit he did like her better in something black. Soon after the set out to return to the leaf village, they meet only one patrol along the way, an ANBU patrol. They where surprised to see Sakura and having orders to capture her on sight they leap at her. Sasori hidden within Hiroko didn't move, he wanted to see how effective she was. They where wary of the pair in the Akatsuki uniform but they didn't know what they where dealing with. One bound them both in a genjutsu not knowing they where both immune due to the fact their brains had been replaced. Sakura remained still before they neared, as soon as one touched her she leapt into action. Her eye completely opened and her emerald eye shone as she turned so quickly the cloak feel off her exposing her shameless nudity and her inhuman body. "A puppet?" the masked nin managed to say before Sakura hit him in the chest. Small needles extended out of her chakra lased fist and retracted after they stabbed the man in the chest. He flew several feet back and slammed against tree surprising the rest of the team. The man chocked and coughed as his veins became visible turning an unsightly purple color. The other three members where not given a chance to recover as Sakura send a burst of chakra to her foot giving her a burst of speed as charged. Sasori gave a quite chuckle in his gruff voice as the nins screamed. Sasori latter was examining their bodies "you have modified my poison," he said as a statement. "Hai, this one not even Tsunade could find an antidote, and it works much faster, so fast it wouldn't matter if you had the antidote or not."

Sasori took that cloths from ANBU that best fitted Sakura, but she still wore her new cloak over top. They reached the outer wall protecting the village Sasori turned to Sakura, he had completed his plan of action. "There is only one place I do not control you, own you completely…." He started to explain the passive doll. He pulled out a chakra string and attached it between their two heart peaces, then making a complex series of hand seals he severed the chakra string. Sakura only passively thought to herself "so what did that do?" "It has given me complete control of your mind and thoughts…" she heard inside her head. Sasori was smirking as he said and thought at the same time making her hear him twice "now I own you completely your mine….."

(well I have now corrupted the characters I'll post the next chapter soon!)


	4. Chapter 4

(Okay this whole things was heavily inspired by the song Freak on a leash I just picture Sasori Sakura, I like to writing things out by acting in character and I hope I have done the memory of Sasori justice, Also I do not own Naruto the show would have been canceled by now if I did)

Tsunade was scolding Naruto yet again for sneaking into the hospital and attacking Sasuke. "But I'm sure he knows where she is, he convinced her to leave somehow and try to destroy the village, so he must know where she is!" Naruto yelled at the dangerously short tempered Hokage. "Naruto…I don't think he even knows where she is, he managed to keep very quite during interrogations but he did talk a little and it didn't add up, also I'm getting more and more skeptical that is the reasons why she did what…looks like she did and became a run away," she explained with obvious difficulty. Naruto looked away as his face darkens with memory "you where not there, when she…when she left, some one named Sasuke had her convinced she had to leave, and what other reason could she have had, and her parents….some one from Hawk or some one who worked with Sasuke must have killed them I just don't think she could have done it," Naruto replied. Tsunade frowned and reached for her sake, every one in the village was feeling depressed. "I had…I had thought I managed to get team 7 back…" was all Naruto said leaving.

Sasuke looked at Kakashi, he couldn't hide what he was feeling from his old teacher. "I hope you feel that you have accomplished your goal," was all Kakashi said to him. Sasuke turned away from his sad gaze he would rather be taking Naruto brutal beating then this humble guilt. "I hadn't….she wasn't supposed to…" Sasuke said more to himself Kakashi trying to wrestle away this guilt he was supposed to have repressed long ago under Orochimaru. "And if you where still at large you would have to do this, kill her, kill me, destroy the ignorant villagers…" Kakashi explained calmly. Sasuke turned away from him, the Hidden Leaf had to pay for what they did to his clan…but this wasn't part of his plan.

Tsunade was taking another swig of sake wearing an unpleasant frown. She wouldn't even have the motivation to scold Naruto if the ANBU brought him back before her for attacking Sasuke again as she slumped her head against her desk. The door to her room burst open "Hokage there is an emergency!" She didn't even raise her head as she said "what ever Naruto has done I don't care right now." "No Hokage-sama there has been an explosion in the pigeon currier room!" the messenger said. "Wait?!" Tsunade said standing up walking towards the messenger intending on following him "are we under attack?" "We don't know, apparently there have been two other similar explosions in the village only moments before-" he did get to finish as a white clay bird flew into the window and exploded.

Sakura watched on as Sasori manipulated his Deidara puppet, she heard him thinking "well this isn't my stile of art but I cannot deny its effectiveness." After sending out dozens of bomb birds into the village he sent his ten controlled leaf shinobi at the scenes of the crimes to be the "invading" shinobi. Hopefully they will survive long enough to prove useful distractions. Sasori replaced Deidara back into his scroll and told Sakura to show him the way to Kakuzu's remains. They met no resistance as they walked through the village to the hospital. The village was in panic loyal shinobi had turned against each other, and the Hokage was hurt, no one noticed the odd crawling man and the woman in black. They went to the back of the hospital to avoid any of the staff who would be sure to notice the odd pair. The rear entrance was locked by heavy steal door. It gave from the first punch Sakura throw at it. She quickly lead Sasori through the empty halls, the staff was busy with the wounded upstairs. They came to a large door with a seal on it. Sakura motioned her hands making three hand seals before the door unlocked. Sasori reached forwards with his scorpion tail and yanked open the heavy door. Sakura could mentally hear his growing impatience as she hurried within the room. "Freeze!" he yelled into her mind. Sakura froze on the spot obeying the command but not understanding when she heard a familiar voice say "shadow possession successes." Ino, Shikamaru and Choji stood behind the pair. Shikamaru had a smug smile as he stood with his hands in a seal. Sakura smiled for the first time influenced by what Sasori was feeling.

"Impressive you must be very cleaver, am I to guess your Shikamaru the one who single handedly defeated Hidan," Sasori said in gruff voice "so how did you figure out some one would be sneaking the morgue at time like this?" Shikamaru shrugged as Choji doubled his body size ready to take over binding them after his jutsu ran out "wasn't a hard guess, all the attacks coming from different places save for one looked like a distraction to me, the targets where all places that would cause most damage and chaos, so why not blow up a hospital as well, what's so important about the hidden leaf's hospitals save for the remains of some very powerful fallen nins, and as I see your Akatsuki cloaks I'm assuming your after Kakuzu's remains," he explained. "That's almost brilliant insight, but don't you know shadow possession doesn't work on inanimate objects?" Sasori asked before leaping into action, his tail leapt forwards slicing all along Choji's huge hand. He yelled in pain as the poison rapidly set in. Ino reacted by sending her mind possession jutsu, but it instantly proved useless against the puppet that lacked the organ needed for it to work rendering her powerless. Shikamaru reacted quickly to the situation by changing his jutsu to shadow shredding, the tendrils proved useful as they impaled the giant puppet. Sakura had already charged after Shikamaru dogging his attacks with ease. He didn't recognize her until they where both face to face but it was too late as she hit him with her full brutal strength. He was sure his shoulder bone was shattered as he lost consciences. Sasori crawled outside of Hiroko and sealed him away "take care of that girl before she awakes," he told Sakura. She nodded and walked up to her childhood friend and rival, seeing no need to kill her pinched a nerve on Ino's shoulder ensuring she will not bother them for hours. Sasori turned to the spamming Choji, as he had an Idea. They stepped over the bodies as Sakura pulled out the drawer that held Kakuzu's body. Sasori pulled out a scroll and summoned his ready made replica. Sakura watched with interest as he made incisions into the body and started transferring the living chakra into the puppet. "So is this how I was made?" she thought to herself, but Sasori over heard. "Yes and no, you were from scratch, as well a more delicate and finer job, thought the principals here are the same." He finishes the first step, knowing he could perfect the puppet latter having what they came for. He sealed away the puppet and burned the remains leaving Sakura to slightly wonder what ever happened to her remains. They took Choji and Shikamaru with them before slipping out the village.

Shikamaru awoke in great pain and in a forest he realized. "Oh your awake, good I was getting impatient" a red haired teen said to him. He recognized suddenly, the only Akatsuki member who was an inanimate object could be Sasori. "Where are Ino and Choji, what have you done with them, where am I?" Shikamaru demanded. Sakura stood and answered him "Ino is fine, she will be dizzy latter thou, and Choji...he is right here." Shikamaru noticed that Sasori was calmly sitting on his best friend as if he where a great log. "Now that we have your attention, I want to know where you buried Hidan," Sasori asked calmly. Shikamaru knew if he just gave in they would both be killed, but he knew Sasori was impatient and liable to do things to hasten the outcome, he wished he could get into his thinking position but he shattered shoulder wouldn't allow it. "What garenti-" he started to propose before Sasori cut him off. "Sakura has told me all about you, and before you try to escape the situation let me show you my three hundredth and first puppet." He pulled out a scroll and wooden replica of Kakuzu stood before them. Black threads leapt out the puppets body and dug into the bloated flesh of Choji. He twitched in response obviously in agony but unable to do anything about save moan.

Shikamaru called out pleading for him to stop, he fell face first trying to stand, but ignored the pain trying to stand and stop the torture being inflicted on his best friend. Sakura leaned in, Sasori felt surprised knowing what she felt but he soon understood. She grabbed Shikamaru by the neck and raised him up high chocking him as she said "tell us, tell us now or watch his heart being ripped out, then we will go back and find your father and mother, and do that to them, then Ino, then Kurenai and her child, and again and again, each time you lie, every delay, we will find a new friend, some one else…" she explained to him squeezing his neck nearly cutting off all his air. Shikamaru didn't have time to come up with a brilliant plan and he did realize this was the only was to protect what he called "the King" of the hidden leaf, he broke down and told them where the body of Hidan where buried and how to retrieve it. Sasori ended his torture and Sakura dropped Shikamaru, she watched him crawl to his friend. It infuriated her to see this, she just wanted to smash them, crush them both. Sasori told her it would be a waste of time as they both left.

"So you felt envy," Sasori plainly told Sakura as they where digging towards his goal, a constant muffled stream of endless curses and swears told them they where getting near. "Really?" She replied then shook her head "I guess I did." "Do you know why?" he asked. "Because he was sad, he was in pain…I was jealous, I can't have that," she reasoned out to herself. "And is that all?" he questioned with a smirk knowing the answer. "No, I also hated his willing to sacrifice himself for friends and for what he loves……Sasori I think I need to see two particular boys to settle something," she explained. Sasori was taken back with her sudden request, he was interested. "Please?" she pressed. "Oh alright, it should be entertaining," he agreed knowing full well what was being plotted in his delightful doll's mind.

(well first I'd like to apologize to any Choji fans I know he is always getting the short end of the stick, and for Shikamaru I also happen to be a huge fan of him, I'm really thrilled some people like this little writing experiment of mine, I think the next chapter should be the final chapter if any one has any good suggestions for either this chapter or the next I'll be happy to hear them)


	5. Chapter 5

(Wow this is a longest one yet and a battle royal! I do not own Naruto if I did the lawyers would've take it away from me by now)

"It was Sakura, but," Shikamaru started to explain to shocked Kakashi, Tsunade, and Naruto "but it wasn't her…I don't know how to explain it. It was too perfect to be a transformation jutsu or genjutsu but, it wasn't the girl I once knew." Choji lay sleeping in a cot next to Shikamaru, Tsunade had nearly healed from yesterdays attack and managed to save the young mans life, Sasori had only used his old poison. "That wasn't all, the Akatsuki member we have believed to be dead…Sasori, he is back and well as alive as he can be," Shikamaru continued. Tsunade shook her head "I was sure he was dead, I thought it was a miracle a very young and very old woman where able to defeat the terror of the red sands, this may have gone further back then we thought," she hypothesized. Naruto's head dropped feeling even more depressed to hear another close friend has turned to the enemies of the leaf. "She may be doing things against her will then, he was the most accomplished puppet master the world has ever seen, that man was noted to manipulate nations not just puppets," Kakashi suggested hoping their was more truth to his statement for all their sake.

"DIE YOU FUCKING WOODEN…" the head of Hidan swore at Sasori as he extracted the organs that held the charka that would make his newest puppet indestructible. The last piece needed was taken from his head, silencing the once constant stream of profanity. Sasori knew what Sakura was thinking and wanted her to voice it out "yes my doll, what is it?" "I was thinking, each Akatsuki member has a, has a sin, Kakuzu was greed, Deidara lusted for perfection, Hidan was wrath…." Sakura said slowly passively watching Sasori work on a newest puppet. "And what would be my sin?" Sasori ask curious. "I think we both share that sin now, envy," she said. Sasori nodded his head "makes sense, well we all appeased our sins somehow, I do so with my art, I'll enjoy seeing how you try to appease your new found sin," he commented. Sakura was finding she was getting impatient with Sasori's careful work, the never changing unfeeling state made moments seem uncomfortably boring when nothing was happening, she guessed that was the reason why he was so irate about punctuality. "I know you where originally kicked out your village for using dead bodies to make puppets but did you start killing before or after you became a puppet?" She asked. Sasori replied blankly "after why?" "Honestly, to pass the boredom, but I was curios, I guess becoming a puppet changes anybody in many more ways then they realize," Sakura said looking at the nearly completed Hidan puppet. Sasori shrugged "would have sense I have considered it before though being unique made it hard to tell if it would just be me it affected, I must say you have learned to imitate life faster then I did, I took me years before I did anything other then that was strictly necessary, maybe being the second make things easier." "Well this envy…it makes me angry they have what I don't, it makes me want to take what they have away from them," Sakura said ending the odd discussion. Sasori finished his work soon after they ended there "conversation." Sakura felt better now that they where setting out back to the hidden leaf.

"Hokage-sama an eagle scout has spotted two nins in black cloaks that match the descriptions twenty five Kilometers SSW heading towards the village," the messenger reported to the grim faced Tsunade. Tsunade leaned back in her chair, her room was a mess no one had the time to repair the office yet. "I will deal with my rouge apprentice alone, and send Kakashi with every nin we can spare against Sasori, he will need it, that man from reports has ruthlessly conquered whole countries and now as far as we know possess the power of three known former Akatsuki members not to mention the power of the former Kazekage," she ordered formulating a logical plan. The messenger bowed and turned to leave. "Wait I need Naruto to stay here, I know he is powerful and would be useful but, I don't know if he could control his emotions, also Sasori could have tricks up his sleeve I don't want to leave the village unguarded," she commended. She knew she would have to deal with an angry Naruto but this was for the best.

Sasori could tell that they where about to be attacked, he knew they had been spotted but he knew things would go a whole lot faster if the hidden leaf made the first move. Sakura knew the plan Sasori had the moment he had conceived it. "Hai, I'll lead away the leader of the group and you deal with the brunt of the force," she said even before he asked anything from her. "Good I'd like to test and see how well Kakuzu and Hidan work together, and by the way I'm sure with force this size I'm sure either of your former teachers or even both will be their," that all he needed to say to motivate his precious doll. She moved a head hoping she could gloat the strike forces leader into single combat, if that didn't work Sasori would sweep in and force that choice on them.

Sakura was able to see them approach from a distance with her enhanced eyesight she knew Sasori was ready inside Hiroko right beside her. She was excited to see Tsunade was leading them. She waited till they could see them before she turned and ran. She new Tsunade would follow her. "You have your orders, Kakashi you're in charge take him down," Tsunade gave her last order before breaking off from the main attack party. Sasori waited till the majority of the attack force where in the clearing before him he pulled his scarf down and opened Hiroko's mouth and rained poisoned needles on them. The whole force was briefed on his abilities an ANBU member's arm grew into a wall of wood and shielded the group from the deadly hail. Sasori closed his puppets mouth and raised its clubbed arm. He fired out a canister and guided over the barrier, branches rose up and entangled them selves stopping the canister above the attack force. "Too little too late," Sasori though with a smirk as the canister blew up raining the needles on them. Kakashi was quick to react, most of the force where able to doge the needles. "Quick any one who got the slightest scratch from that inject the Hokage antidote!" he ordered. The shinobi where prepared, they injected themselves and helped those too numb get the antidote. Sasori was quite pleased with himself having applied Sakura's upgraded version of his poison, the surprised wails and panic voices questioning why the antidote lady Tsunade prepared herself wasn't working.

"Every one pull back, help the poisoned!" the quick acting Kakashi ordered. Sasori was sure one needle must have stuck the ANBU who was maintaining the wood wall as it was crumbling. Kakashi knowing Sasori had turned there superior numbers against them ordered a full retreat for all lower leveled Shinobi leaving him and a few others. Kakashi motioned to his partner Maito Gai as he pulled down his mask a bit to reveal his sharingan eye, Sasori recognized both of them. This should be entertaining even though they combined strength will most likely seriously delay him he figured. Gai motioned to a younger man beside him, Sasori didn't know who he was but his pale eyes gave his heritage away. The Sharingan and Byakugan at the same time, this will be a feat to be proud of, he thought as the two ran at him coming from either side. He raised his tail striking with amazing speed, Gai was fast enough and the other man saw it coming both dodged the attack. He knew they where merrily distractions but the Byakugan user worried him, he could see his heart piece even through his Hiroko. "Great fire ball Jutsu," Kakashi said making his last seal. The two men backed away from Sasori as the fiery death sped towards its target. Hidden within his puppet Kakashi couldn't see Sasori make the replacement jutsu, as a mount of earth looking like him was incinerated. He opened his mouth and shot a needle at Kakashi and swung his tail at Gai. Kakashi exploded in a puff of smoke, and Sasori found he couldn't manipulate the tail peace. The Byakugan boy saw Sasori's every moment and tapped Hiroko's tail cutting away the chakra flow to it. Kakashi appeared from the earth under Hiroko and pulled him in trapping him. Kakashi flipped back and sealed another fire jutsu onto Hiroko.

Sasori abandoned his puppet leaping safely a few dozen yards away. "Well, I'd expect nothing less of the village that produced my prized possession Sakura," Sasori said turning to face them. They where surprised to see a young man, a teenager before them, but they new he was far older and ageless. "Well seeing since you have faced them before I'd like to see how much they have improved now that they are a part of my collection," he told the trio as he pulled out a scroll labeled Akatsuki. He had the two he wanted to test this occasion ready as two puppets appeared at his sides, Kakuzu, and Hidan. They looked like wooden versions of there old selves, he even keep their Akatsuki cloaks. Kakashi felt a cold shiver run down his spine as he had no wish to face a more dangerous version of Kakuzu. "Like them? I know my collection is incomplete, I'm impatient but I know in time I'll have them all, you three on the other hand will be nothing more then a test," Sasori explained. "Get ready," Kakashi told his comrades as Sasori twitched his fingers. Kakashi could recognize some puppeteer moves from watching Konkuro long ago but they where nothing compared to the complex and delicate motions of each of Sasori's fingers, he could see them all but he had no idea what to expect. The Hidan doll shuddered and made a creepy clicking noise before tentacle like blades sprouted out of its body, at their ends that had small sickle like blades. The four monstrosities climbed their way out of Kakuzu's body. The threaded monsters lurched at Kakashi, the fire and wind combined to give them extra fire power, he tried to escape thought the earth but the earth monster combined with the water one turning earth near him into mud. The Kakuzu puppet turned on Gai before he could aid his comrade, Gai made the mistake of striking the puppet, threads wrapped along his arms and cut into his flesh. The cuts seemed to burn more painfully then they should have as Gai realized that everything Sasori uses is poisoned.

Neji went strait to the source charging at Sasori. He sent his ranged attack at Sasori but the Hidan doll stood in the way. The puppet immediately charged at the Byakugan user lashing out at high speed cutting at him every way possible. Neji was able to dodge every possible attack and when he felt truly threatened he used his chakra whirl to repel every attack. "He is good," Sasori thought "but very young and inexperienced," he concluded, this wasn't the first Byakugan user he had fought. Sasori was careful not to attack him from too many places least he force Neji to perform his whirl as one tentacle worked it way around to his back and positioned itself at the Byakugan blind spot. The blade lashed down in a perfect line where Sasori predicted where he was blind. The blade sliced clean through the third and forth vertebrate in the back of Neji's neck. The young man was in mid stance when he starred out blankly, Sasori assumed it was his imagination but he thought he could hear Hidan's manic laughter.

"NEJI!" a frantic Gai called out entangled in a death drip by the Kakuzu puppet. "There is not point you'll be with him shortly," Sasori plainly said noticing Gai must be poisoned by now. "Get off me!" Gai said to the puppet as a vein near his temple bulged. _'So this is the hidden lotus?'_ Sasori mentally remarked disengaging the Kakuzu puppet "what's the point now you'll be dead in a matter of–" he started to say before Gai cut him off. "Then their will be reason to hold back," he struggle to say as he opened the second gate within his body. "Gai no!" Kakashi called in between dodges. Sasori had to say it did look impressively powerful as Gai opened the fourth gate, Sasori pulled out his third scroll and summoned the third Kazekage. Gai swing his arms out as the muscles in his body budged the veins clearly visible as earth was broken and tossed around him. Sasori created a wall of solid metal to protecting him. At the seventh gate Gai made his move.

By the time Sasori realized Gai hit the metal wall around himself the man had already broken through but then Gai had already hit him in the face. All Sasori knew is his head spun around in a three sixty. He had the Hidan puppet leap in front of himself forming a puppet shield between himself and Gai. Gai focused on destroying the puppeteer hit the Hidan puppet with his nearly full strength again and again performing the most spectacular morning peacock of his life. The puppet splintered and crumbled into fragments in seconds. Nothing stood between Sasori and Gai as the green halo of energy around him exploded to block out everything Sasori could see "eighth gate…open" he martial artist struggled to say. He hit Sasori square in the chest with his full force blowing the puppet into pieces, every piece of Sasori was blown apart scattering him across the clearing. The puppets he was controlling feel down no longer being controlled. Kakashi was breathing heavily he looked around with his sharingan eye looking for the capsule that could revive the puppeteer. He found it quickly it was glowing brightly with chakra. It was twitching and had a few chakra strings attached to it. Kakashi preformed Chidory and struck the heart piece. He watched it for a few moments to ensure the glow faded. He left it knowing he would better deal with it latter running to his fallen comrades.

Kakashi kneeled by his dyeing comrade, his rival, his friend. "Go to Neji, see him make sure he is alright," Gai instructed. A quick glace from the sharingan told Kakashi that the young prodigy, the man with so much promise to his clan was lost. Kakashi shook his head wishing he had something better to tell his friend in his last moments "…I failed him, tell Lee I couldn't keep the good guy…" Gai started to say sensing this maybe his last chance. "The good guy what?" an impassive voice said from behind them. Kakashi turned in horror as Sasori was finishing reassembling himself. Kakashi glanced at the undamaged heat piece in his chest then at the one he had destroyed laying a few feet behind the puppeteer _"a fake?" _Kakashi realized. Sasori cocked head to the side and explained "how you ask, I left a string connected between my real heart and this fake one after you destroyed it I simply stopped feeding it my chakra." Gai groaned using what was left of his strength "a good guy promise that was what I made and..." he said lifting his hand giving Sasori a thumbs up and corky smile "remember the name Rock Lee, you may have killed me but through my teachings my student will defeat you, nothing can stop his determination," he promised with his last breath. Sasori cocked his head to the side saying to the remains of Gai "maybe but I doubt he can destroy Sakura, he doesn't sound like he is a monster like me…"

Kakashi could bear no more, he was a calm level head person, but the death of comrades was something that couldn't bear. He yelled out in rage drawing a kunai he charged at Sasori with chidory in the other hand. Sakura throw two set of strings at the pile of Hidan puppet that reformed whole and undamaged as soon as chakra was introduced to it, and the other into the to the Kazekage puppet. The Hidan puppet grabbed a hold of Kakashi chidory hand taking the blow, and the third puppet manipulated the metal kunai. Kakashi punched through Hidan but it changed the path of the fist and he end up striking Sasori's right shoulder and the path of the kunai was changed making him stab Sasori's left shoulder. Sasori looked at the man before him and shock his head thinking him beyond pitiful "what did you hope to achieve, this body feels no pain," he simply said. Sasori managed to get the Kazekage puppet to rip the Kunai from Kakashi's grasp. The kunai cut him along the shoulder as he back away from Sasori with amazing speed. Kakashi had his left eye closed and his hand in a seal position. Sasori gave the bloody Kunai to his Hidan puppet and smirked when Kakashi recognized what he was going to do with it.

Kakashi charged at Sasori but with his left eye still closed and hands locked in a seal. Sasori manipulated the Kazekage puppet to attack. Huge blocks of steel rose and fell driving Kakashi back to keep his distance. The Hidan puppet took the bloody Kunai and placed it into its mouth and swallowed the blood. The wood of the puppet grew dark as white places formed looking like bones. Kakashi opened his left eye showing an oddly designed sharingan, the Mangekyo Sharingan Sasori recognized. The air distorted and swirled as Kakashi used the last of chakra to create a rip in the fabric of reality. Sasori knew of Kakashi's unique move from Deidara's report to the Akatsuki. He waited till the perfect moment, right when it was at its most intense to move back and send strings to the bodies of Gai and Neji. The bodies rose up and jumped in the way of rift. Kakashi focused his chakra and rift was activated.

The bodies of Neji and Gai where ripped in half as Sasori jumped back with his puppets. There was a spray of gore as the majority of the two bodies torso was ripped away into another dimension. Sasori looked at the surprised Kakashi and said "die!" twitching a finger. The Hidan puppet drew a metal spear and plunged it into its chest. Kakashi cough and chocked, he grabbed his chest in agony. Sasori stood above him watching him in his last moments. "You…will not…destroy the village…the future Hokage…will stop you…" Kakashi chocked out with his dying breath. Sasori sighed and said to the dead man "why does every one from the hidden leaf threaten me with their young?"

Sasori resealed his puppets and did a little basic repair to himself. He would have to fix Hiroko latter he decided. He thought to Sakura, he had been aware of her whole battle during his keeping tabs on her during his skirmish with the leaf, "so love how goes your you battle with the Hokage?"

(WOW! *cries* I can't believe I just did that I love Gai and Kakashi! Seriously I don't plan things out when I write I just act in character as if I where RPing and I just go so you guys are as aware of what will happen next chapter as I am. I'll get working right away on Sakura's battle with her former teacher, unless you all do the right thing and bury me next to Hidan)


	6. Chapter 6

(wow thank for tagging along with me thus far on my road down to complete madness, I seriously apologize to any Kakashi/Gai/Neji fans for the my last chapter I'm as big a fan of them you guys are, the other half of that battle)

"Wait Sakura Stop! That is as far as you go!" Lady Tsunade commanded. Sakura figured this was far enough where that won't be bothered. It felt nice to away from the puppet master who controlled every aspect of her life, but his constant mental presence let her know this was only an illusionary freedom. Sakura stopped in the middle of a field. She recognized this was where Tsunade trained her in being a medical nin back when she was only a genin. Tsunade also knew where they where, she shivered remembering seeing a young girl here, sweet and innocent standing in the field dodging her killer rubber balls. Now a cold hardened young woman stood where she used to stand in an evil Akatsuki cloak. "How did this happen, where did I go wrong?" she thought to herself seeing a cold uncaring expression where a smug and vibrate one once showed. "Sakura you better answer me, and answer honestly what happened to you?" Tsunade demanded.

Sakura looked up thinking as she spook "Finally, I've wanted every one to understand what has happened to me, but I don't want to explain it in words…I was to show every one what has happened to me." Tsunade shook her head not understanding, but sensing there was more listened on. "I understand if you don't yet, but this should help you begin to grasp what has happened to me," Sakura cryptically said. She undid the buttons on the front of her cloak while she shrugged it off. Tsunade noticed her elbow looked weird almost like her arms where synthetic limbs and she was wearing an ANBU vest and pants she shuddered to think of how she had acquired them. Then she grabbed the zipper and pulled down showing her inhuman body "this is the only living piece of me now the rest is merrily an imitation," Sakura said.

Tsunade took a step back horrified of what stood before her "Sakura, what have you done to yourself?" Sakura shrugged "actually I played only a very small part in this, but it doesn't matter I am this now and forever till some one ends it for me, but that may sadly never happen for me," she explained. "So what am I supposed to do about this, destroy you?" Tsunade said lost and saddened but resigned on what she may have to do. "That would be very kind of you, but I don't think that would be the outcome, I did make things easier for Sasori to spare Naruto's life, maybe I could do him another favor before I get repayment on that and open up a spot for Hokage, and I did use Sasuke as an excuse maybe a could further his goal by unseating the hidden leafs current authority," Sakura simply stated. The two women looked at each other before charging at each other in way they never had before in this field.

Tsunade throw the first punch narrowly missing Sakura leaving a huge crater on the earth. Sakura not only found it easier to dodge Tsunade because she had trained for years with her, but also because she seemed to aim for her legs or arms. Sakura realized that she was trying to capture her. It enraged her to know that her former teacher wouldn't give her the mercy of an end. Sakura hit the ground and sent a crack in the earth under Tsunade's feet unbalancing her. Sakura sent a burst of chakra to her feet giving her a burst of speed to rush the Hokage. She clenched her fist as small needles extended out of her knuckles ready to give a deadly injection. Tsunade may have lost her footing but she did not lose sight of her apprentice. Letting her self fall, Tsunade bit her thumb and slapped the ground.

There was a huge puff of smoke as Sakura punched something soft and rubbery instead of human flesh. The poison was given but it only resulting in a small slug rolling off the main body. "This is as far as it goes Sakura!" Tsunade told her high above the ground. Sakura impassively looked up, there where many new things within her body she had yet taken the opportunity to use. The slug Katsuyu raised it great head back sucking in air. Sakura knees bent in preparation. Katsuyu leaned forwards and spat a huge glob of acid. "Now she plays," Sakura mentally remarks as she sprung out of the way. It was much more difficult to dodge as there was an element of splash when the acidic spit landed near her. She raised her arm to protect her heart piece and eyes from the splash damage. "Don't break yourself," Sasori scolded her mentally, "you can't reassemble yourself like I can." Sakura looked at the few small droplet holes on her arm. Sakura straitened both her arms as two barrels came out of her hands. She was going to test both Sasori's weapon in her and her poison. Two small projectiles where launched at Tsunade from her hands. They exploded near her but acted like smoke bombs save the "smoke" had an unsightly purple color. Sakura remembered being caught in the gas cloud, if the poison work through the pours in the skin rather then being inhaled, it would have been so much more effective, this cloud worked so much better.

The effect on Katsuyu was supper effective, smaller slugs rolled off her rabidly diminishing her great size. Katsuyu used last of her self gently help Tsunade down to the earth before disappearing in a puff of smoke. Tsunade looked worst for wear as she was covered with purple spots on her skin. She looked at Sakura with fierce eyes. She grabbed a needle with a yellow fluid inside and injected it into herself. Sakura looked down on her former mentor and asked calmly "what do you hope to do with an antidote made from the poison found in Choji?" Tsunade eyes widened in shock "you mean…" "yes both me and Sasori-sama use completely different poisons now, I used the original antidote to introduce new properties in the poison making it so it enters the cells faster and break it down better, literally liquefying the insides in a matter of minuets," Sakura explained. Tsunade stared at the girl blankly "so the antidote I gave the squads is…" "Completely infective..." Sakura said finishing her sentence.

Tsunade looked at Sakura thinking she needs to end this and see to the main forces knowing they will need her. Sakura let the barrels retract and clenched her fist letting Tsunade she will not let her leave. "You're giving me no choice here are you?" Tsunade said. Tsunade focused her self as she preformed her shadow seal release to fuel the creation rebirth jutsu. Sakura knew this would be her most likely course of action if she where poisoned. Made sense the poison broke down the cells so she would counter by regenerating cells, but unlike her Tsunade's clock was ticking. Tsunade charged at Sakura, she raised her foot in the air and brought it down on the ground. Sakura knew she had to be air bound as she leapt into air. The earth in the whole field broke apart and crumbled. As soon a Sakura's foot touched the ground she had to leap against as Tsunade punched the ground sending a fissure in the earth under Sakura. Tsunade wasn't going to let her get away so easily especially when she was needed else where. She stopped on the ground and a boulder was thrown into the air. Tsunade punched a boulder sending it speeding to the air bourn Sakura.

Sakura unable to dodge the projectile punched it shattering it into lesser dangerous fragments. Sakura noticed a crack in her cheek where a particularly large fragment struck her. Sasori would be mad with her carelessness but lest she knew she could fully repaired there was only one piece of her she had to truly protect. She charged at Tsunade going on the offensive, both women punched and dogged each other attacking with little regard for the damage they where causing to the landscape. Sakura hadn't been watching what Sasori was doing unlike him who was both fully aware of his surroundings and hers. She noticed that her vision was blurred. The slight fraction of advantage Tsunade was quick to take advantage of landing a blow on Sakura's shoulder sending her flying and nearly taking her arm off. Sakura found she wasn't able to move as her senses dulled. She could now only really see through Sasori's eyes instead of her own. She saw something glowing an unearthly green, she recognized it was Gai looking like how Lee did during the chunin exams only he was looking far more intense. Pieces of Sasori gave away and fragments of him flew before her eyes. Then things grew dark, she was unable to move, see, anything. She decided it was like being all alone in a coma.

Tsunade was breathing heavily, she was near her limit. She covers her mouth as she coughed up some blood. Having the poison liquefy her internal organs then having them grow back then disintegrate again was taking its toll. She noticed Sakura not getting back up and knew this was her only chance was to physically remove the poison. She opened a bottle and poured the water into her hand. Then filling it with her chakra she placed the water next to her chest and gritted her teeth for the next part. She was a strong women but she could help but gasp out in agony as she forced the water into her body and through her sensitive internal organ removing the poison. Finally when she was sure she had removed the vast majority she pulled it out nearly clasping as she does so. She lets go of the chakra flow and the poison laden water slashes out her hand. Tsunade had to steady herself as his vision when from shades of hazy red to better focus. There where still trace amount in her system but the drain on her regenerative chakra was little.

Sakura lay there in a state of non existence. There was nothing, just the vast meaningless void, hell she decided wasn't filled with flames, it was this nothing. Like a switch, she could see again, she existed. Her eyes flicked, and she moved. She slowly stood up and looked at the crouching gasping Tsunade, noticing her wet hand she guessed what she had done. Sakura looked away now paying attention to Sasori's battle "Sasori-sama is nearly done, I have to finish this now my teacher else he will be angry if I make him wait," she informed. Tsunade was slightly confused at how she could know this but she didn't like the sound of the puppeteer being nearly done. A change came over Sakura as she fully opened her eyes making her emerald eyes gleam as she poured chakra into her puppet body. Tsunade and Sakura charged at each other but Sakura with her other damaged hand reached into a pocket at her back. "So love how goes your you battle with the Hokage" Sasori asked now giving her his undivided attention, know her plan as soon as she thought it up "cleaver girl, I'll assist you". Tsunade hit the earth beside Sakura while she moved to punch her. Sakura feinted her move while she dodged the attack throwing the chakra strings at her. Tsunade didn't expect that and Sasori took control of Sakura's damaged hand manipulating her fingers.

Tsunade never had chakra stings attached to her before nor was she willing but the impulses from the strings where hampering her movements. Sakura clenched her free hand into a fist and throw a punch for Tsunade chest. The needles from Sakura's fist ejected out while she smashed Tsunade's chest breaking the sternum causing the needles to puncture her heart. The two women starred at each other for a few moments, Tsunade's shadow seal release just didn't have enough chakra left to repair this damage. They looked into each others eyes. Sakura swore she could hear Tsunade's heart beat. "Thump, thump…thump…thump……thump…." The moment seemed to drag one. "Congratulations Sakura you have surpassed my highest expectation of you, a Kage level Shinobi…you are now an S class," he said to her with pride.

Sakura gathered her fallen cloak and walked to meet up with Sasori. She was surprised to see how damaged he was. Many pieces of his face and torso where missing. He waved away any attempt she made to make him focus him as he set on repairing her only slightly marred body. "An S class, you could almost say where equals," he said laughing, she could hardly any truth to it. "Why couldn't I move?" she asked him thinking this would be important for the next time. "Sakura it takes a great puppeteer to move our bodies, and you are not, so I do it for you, I read what you want to do and do it for you, I had only increased our bond when I made it so we both hear each other thoughts," Sasori explained. Sakura was surprised, not one movement, not one action had truly ever been her own, up till now he had given her the perfect illusion that she had to some degree control, with out him she would return to that black terrifying void. She realized she needed him far more then she new did. Knowing this she touched his cheek as he was delicately applying a plaster to her cheek. "He is my world, I'm nothing without him," she said to herself. "What thank you that's very sweet of you," Sasori remarked back having read her thoughts.

Naruto undid the heavy lock and strong seal on the door to Sasuke's room. It was easy to slip past the hospital staff as they where busy with the dead and dieing. Yamato had survived the attack and stayed back to watch the fight, his wood clone disintegrated after being hit with one of Sasori's needles. It was him that had to deliver the same news that the prides of the hidden leaf died in defense of the village. Team ten joined a team of ANBU to search for the missing Hokage. Hinata stayed behind with her clan as they recovered the remains of Neji and prepared his burial. The search team quickly returned, it wasn't very difficult to Tsunade.

Sasuke noticed that Naruto had been crying, why he didn't know but he wasn't going o let up. "Come to hit me again loser, I don't know where she is for the last time, she shouldn't have–" Sasuke started to say to Naruto before he cut him off. "I know, but I want your help to get her back," he said. Sasuke was confused but Naruto filled him in on what had happened, Sasuke looked shocked to hear of Kakashi, he still had some respect for his old teacher. "I will help you to kill Sasori and save Sakura from herself, but I'll still want my revenge and I am locked up," Sasuke said. Naruto walked up to Sasuke and grabbed him bringing his face next to his "listen, Kakashi is dead and Sakura is running around with his murderer, now will you help me or not?" Naruto demanded to know. "Fine I will but I'm how can I when I'm," Sasuke started to say, that was all Naruto needed to hear from him. He summoned a shadow clone and opened his left hand letting Rasengan being formed. "NARUTO WAIT!" Sasuke said before Naruto broke him out of his bonds.

There was a crashing sound that caught every ones attention. By the time hospital staff discovered Sasuke's prison break the pair where on their way out of leaf village. Two minuets latter they slipped through the gate and where heading out. "Are you alright?" Naruto asked out of necessity Sasuke would be no good to him if he was hurt. "Ya, but there are smarter ways to get those bonds off other then using one of you more powerful moves," Sasuke commented. Naruto frankly couldn't care long as Sasuke was battle ready it didn't matter. "Stop," Sasuke said his eyes flicking to their Sharingan state "where being followed." "Aw this soon dam," Naruto commented hoping he would have had a little more time to but some distance between them and the village. It was Rock Lee how appeared before them. He was mess, every muscle in his body was tense, he looked like he had just shed many tears, he bowed before saying "Naruto-kun and Sasuke-kun, I knew you'd both wouldn't let Sakura-san get away, Yamato told me before Sensei Gai died he made a good guy promise that the spirit of his teachings would stop Sasori, I must do this, let me help you." Naruto nodded his head. The three men who had strong ties to Sakura turned and began their pursuit to save her.


	7. Chapter 7

(The hunt, I don't own Naruto, fans of many characters would have ended me long ago)

The village of the hidden Leaf was in panic. Sasori sent one message: "I have showed my power, give me the Jinjuriki and the Uchiha boy, or I'll march on your village with an army over a hundred strong." The village couldn't submit such a demand that would go against all of their principals, also because it's also difficult to give what you do not have. Sasuke had escaped and Naruto was found missing, people but two and two together. A select few said they cowered away, but the majority hoped and knew that the pair had gone to challenge the menace threatening their village.

Naruto, Sasuke and Lee come to the spot where Tsunade fought. The only way to describe the sight was pure utter destruction. The field earlier that day was nearly flat, where well groomed grass grew, not any more. All the earth had been over turned, not a speck of green could be seen and the semi-flat plane was upturned with huge scars and craters in the ground. It gave Naruto some comfort to know the old lady didn't go quietly. Lee broke the silence asking "so where do you go from here Naruto-kun?" "You go in two different directions," a voice said from above them. The trio looked up and saw Shino sitting up on a tree branch. "Oi Shino!" Naruto called "you know where they are?" "I'm ninety percent sure two of my female insects have managed to find their way onto what you seek, these two male ones should lead you" Shino said sending off two insects to hover in front of the pair. Lee bowed saying "thank you Shino-kun, but will you not join us?" "No, I'll be of little use, these insects feed the chakra from flesh, something our enemy lacks, also be careful apparently your being hunted by the village, Sasori has made specific demands for you Naruto and Sasuke, threatening to attack the village," Shino explained leaning up against the tree he was sitting in. "Thanks Shino," Naruto said knowing this will be all the help he will get.

"Naruto-kun if there is two ways we must go what must we do?" Lee asked. Sasuke was curios as to what Naruto could come up with still believing him to be an idiot. Naruto stroked his chin thinking, suddenly getting an idea he put his hands in a seal making a shadow clone. "Here Lee follow this insect and I'll follow you," he told Lee gesturing at his clone. Lee bowed, and then he and the clone turned and followed one insect. Sasuke turned to Naruto "so why does the real you have to come with me?" he asked very annoyed. "Let's just say I don't trust you yet," Naruto told him hopping Sasuke remained an ally till at least after they rescue Sakura.

Sasori finished sending off his messenger bird before turning to work on his damaged puppets. Sakura flexed her arm fully repaired, she was happy as she could be when after tending to her Sasori repaired himself. She found she was taking a much keener interest in his health more then ever before. She was watching him work of Hiroko, the puppet was badly burned but Sasori made it so the puppet could be easily repaired and rebuilt from nearly any damage. She ran her fingers through his hair, down his back creasing his cloak. He didn't mind so she continued running her fingers over his body till she came over an insect that clung to his cloak. She went to pull it out but noticed its unique shape. She pulled it out and held it before her eyes. Its little legs squirmed trying to get out from her pinched fingers. She was nearly completely sure what type of bug this was and she knew that if it was what she suspected they would have company soon. "Sasori-sama look at this," she said holding the insect before his eyes. He laughed saying "contrary to popular belief I'm not that worried of termites," he started to say but he checked her thoughts. "Hmm never mind, we could use this to our advantage," he said with a smirk. She checked his thoughts and new of the plan forming in his head. She checked her body over even stripping off her clothing just to be through. Sure enough another little insect had clung to her.

Sakura waited, she felt very uncomfortable with Sasori away out of her sight. Also she wasn't sure how it would feel to be summoned. Sasori had decided to split-up to divide what ever the hidden leaf was sending, then summon her leaving half the force miles away while they both attacked what ever was sent after them. Then marching on the heavily undermanned village would be easy to acquire the Jinjuriki and the Uchiha for both of their purposes. "With two S class shinobi on them they wouldn't even be a challenge," Sasori explained. She caught the movement of two people with her enhanced eyesight. It took her a moment to recognize them. She was smiling at the unexpected outcome "Sasori-sama you don't need to summon me away, I'll deal with these two," she thought to herself knowing he would hear her.

Lee was talking to the clone beside him, "so you're just like the real Naruto?" "I am Naruto it's hard to explain," the clone replied. Sakura hid above them listening, she was disappointed the Naruto was a fake but she still would like to deal with Lee. Lee looked like he wanted to inquire more but noticed the male insect they were tracking suddenly stopped moving forwards. The pair looked down as the insect flew down to a piece of clothing the female was trapped in. "Aw we lost track-" the clone started to say when Sakura fell on them. She punched the clone with her monstrous strength making it disappear in a puff of smoke before it could even see her. In the same motion she whirled her foot around to strike at the surprised Lee. He moved out of lightning fast reflex far out her range, she missed and stuck the ground leaving a huge creator. Lee looked at the attacker in the Akatsuki cloak, his old rage at the loss of his sensei, the only one who thought of him as a genus, his friend. Lee clenched his fist and charged at the Akatsuki with all his rage, pain, and hurt he felt. Sakura turned to face him before he could strike her. Lee stopped his attack with his fist barely touching her face every muscle in his body was tensed to stop himself. "Sakura?" Lee asked looking confused. Sakura raised an eyebrow "Yes?" she replied before she backhanded him. Lee managed to raise his arm in a block before she could connect but her brute strength threw him back.

Lee was thrown into a tree with tremendous force. He was hurting all over he checked his arm for injury. It didn't feel broken but it hurt none the less, "Sakura why do you fight me?" Lee asked standing back up. "Let's just say you broke your promise to protect me and now I'm very disappointed in you," she said without the slightest bit of emotion. "I broke my promise?" Lee asked looking down sounding confused and depressed. "You couldn't protect me from Sasori, and now I'm nothing more then one of his toys, you said you loved me and would protect me from anything, you lied to me Rock Lee," Sakura flatly told him. Lee sounded shocked as he said "I failed my own good guy promise." He bowed to her then looking more determined as he sadly said "Sakura I'm sorry but I can see you have become a villain and I must save you or stop you," he had with obvious tears in his eyes. That alone irked Sakura the most. It was like he was flaunting emotions she no longer had. Lee kneeled and reached into his stockings pulling out his training weights. He stood holding one in each had "In memory of Sensei Gai I can only fight this way to protect something important, I'm going to protect you from yourself," he said before dropping them.

Sakura tensed knowing his far superior speed will be a problematic. Lee's training weights left huge creators in the earth where he dropped them. Their eyes locked for a moment before he disappeared. She moved to defend herself but too late as he appeared right in front of her hitting her. She flew and instantly he was behind her hitting her yet again. Even during that she realized she was taking no real damage that his blows where feather light compared to what he could do. He appeared yet again before she could hit the floor striking her with perfect accuracy on her side. She noticed he was hitting where her pressure points would be. She let herself go slack and cry out with pain. Lee hit her in four more would be pressure points before he stopped his attack. She lay down doing her best impression of being in paralyzing pain. "Sakura I'm sorry I had to do that but I don't know how but well break his hold on you-" he told her before she whipped out and arm and struck his knee. There was a loud crack sound that time as Lee collapsed with pain. Sakura immediately stood up and grabbed him by the throat lifting him high up in the air.

Lee was wriggling chocking her grasp. He was striking her arm with his free hand aiming for a muscle that would have released her hand. "Lee your so sweet, I'm sorry I should have dated you at least once in the past," she told him tightening her grasp. "Sakura I need you now," Sasori's voice demanded in her head. "I'm nearly done," she snapped at him. "Now Sakura or have you been enjoying too much freedom," Sasori baited. Sakura shuddered at his threat. She lowered him till his face level with hers. "Until next time Lee," she told him before planting a soft kiss on his lips that had turned blue from his lack of air. Sakura was summoned away in puff of smoke dropping him to the ground. He coughed and crocked out with his strained voice for Gai.

Sasori was a little disappointed he wasn't able to completely repair Hiroko, the hair was still singed and few other cosmetic things but the puppet was battle ready and it would have to do for now. He waited within Hiroko in a clearing for the net group to challenge him. He saw from Sakura's end that there was only two of them, he smiled thinking maybe what he wanted would come to him again. The young are always rash didn't matter how gifted and will always dance if the right stings are pulled, he thought thinking of that Shikamaru. Sasori gave a quiet chuckle as the two men he wanted ran right into the clearing following an insect. "Welcome this is unexpected I guess my grandmother was right about something, all good things come to those that wait, I just rarely ever put that into practice," Sasori said to the pair. They stopped, the blond one he recognized to be the Jinjuriki turned to the raven hair one who looked like he could very well be Itachi's little brother. "You ready?" Naruto asked Sasuke who was eying Sasori as he nodded. Naruto turned to Sasori "before I beat the crap out of you where is Sakura," he demanded. "Sakura…is currently engaged in another matter," Sasori said watching her pounce on the Naruto clone. Naruto eyes lit up as he turned Sasuke "Lee is in trouble."

Sasuke shrugged "he can take care of himself it's most likely a distraction anyways lets break this puppet and find Sakura," he said activating his Sharingan. Naruto's eyes took a slightly red shade as he turned to face Sasori "sorry Lee," he mumbled having yet another reason to defeat the puppet master as soon as possible.

Sasori made the first move as he selected a batch of needles that had his old curable poison on it knowing he needed the Jinjuriki alive for the Akatsuki. He opened his mouth and fired his first barrage of deadly needles. Naruto formed a never ending wall of clones around him, always replacing them when ever one fell. Sasuke drew a kunai using the sharingan he easily defected the needles. Sasori closed his mouth and chucked "I see using this puppet wouldn't do any good and I haven't even put the fishing touches on his repair yet," he said before opening Hiroko. Both Naruto and Sasuke where a little shocked to find see how young Sasori looked who is from what they have gathered to be a thirty year old man/puppet was looking like a teenager younger then them. Sasori pulled out a scroll labeled Akatsuki telling the pair "feel honored both of you, this will be the first time I'm using him and Uchiha this time he will not be sick, dieing, and wanting you to kill him." They both looked in horror at what Sasori summoned but Sasuke more so. A perfect wooden replica down to the finest details of Itachi stood before them.

Sasori not only had strings going into his puppet but he had one special string that sent information back. Seeing the world through the Sharingan he now fully understood why Orochimaru sought it out so desperately. Sasori had once before acquired a Byakugan user winning that fight by senselessly crushing him with the third Kazekage's iron sand, he was thrilled to add it to his collection, but from earlier use he discovered his human puppets many flaws. Using the same method he was using with his Itachi puppet he saw the world through the confusing and ultimately for his purposes useless Byakugan eyes. In the end the puppet was a failure and was scraped lest it tarnish his collection. The Sharingan was totally different, he could see both the chakra and flesh of the pair before him, and in fact the immediate world around him was so ultimately clear to him not a twitch escaped his puppet's eyes. That wasn't all he understood everything he saw before him, as well as what their meaning was and the hidden impactions of it.

Naruto turned from the puppets before him and tried to gain Sasuke's attention, "hey snap out of it you hear me, we have to save Sakura!" he shouted. His voice seemed far and distant as Sasuke examined his brother with his eyes. Naruto infuriated shouted out at Sasori "I won't even let you use Itachi!" He summoned two shadow clones while he had his hand out stretched together they quickly formed an odd whistling Rasengan. _"So this is the jutsu that killed Kakuzu, this child isn't playing games"_ Sasori mentally remarked. He summoned the Hidan puppet and used him a shield while Naruto built up his Wind style Rasengan to awesome power. With the added commotion Sasuke broke his trance noticing Naruto. He knew that jutsu from very personal experience and leapt back. Naruto built it up to its maximum before throwing it at Sasori. He jumped back making the Itachi puppet do so as well while the Hidan puppet leapt forwards taking on the full brunt of the blow.

The area was devastated, a huge creator was left where the Hidan puppet once was and Sasori was humbled by the sheer power of the attack. He sent out some chakra to the Hidan puppet causing it to be very slowly reformed having been blown into so many millions of pieces. "You will not do that attack again," Sasori said, reaching for a summoning scroll. Naruto looked smug "you don't have any idea just how much chakra I have, I can do that all day if I want to," he bragged. Sasori smirk as he unrolled a scroll labeled Sakura, "you will not do that again because I hold a string to both of your hearts," he explained.

Being summoned was…interesting to say the least Sakura decided. It was almost like suddenly being pulled very fast and stopping all of a sudden. She stood next to Sasori looking very calmly at the two shocked men near before her. "What you did with that Lee boy was very cruel," Sasori mentally commented to Sakura, she wasn't sure but it did sound like compliment. Naruto was the first one to react asking her "Sakura…is that…is that really you?" She shrugged "what's left of her yes…" Both men where confused by this, Sasuke asked her "you where not supposed to take this sort of path Sakura why did you do this?" She shrugged again like this all meant nothing to her "this wasn't exactly my choice though I like to think I did a small part of it to save you Naruto." Naruto pressed on "Sakura you don't have to protect me together all of us can defeat Sasori." Sakura suddenly looked very serious "I can't let either of you do that, do you have any idea of what kind of hell you would send me to." Of course neither of them could understand that, they would need to experience the vast nothingness for themselves she decided from the blank look on their faces. Naruto made his last attempt "what ever your reasons do you know what this bastard did, he killed Kakashi and Tsunade, our teacher and your teachers!" Sakura smirked and looked at Naruto "well well Naruto you have gotten smarter for once your life you're at lest half right Sasori-sama did kill Kakashi, Gai and Neji personally as well as a whole task force of Konoha Shinobi but, I killed Tsunade," she said. Both men where stunned by this. "Why!" Naruto called already tears of rage and hurt brimmed in his eyes. "Because…" Sakura started to say, she whipped off her cloak and revealed her body "I'm Sasori-sama's puppet."

Sakura looked at the two boys she had loved. Naruto was crying realizing what he must try to do, even Sasuke was letting out a few tears, "I guess he must now know how I felt when he betrayed us and turned to evil for power," she thought to herself. The supposed to be dead red haired puppet heard all her thoughts as he thought back to her "I thought you loved them?" he asked testing her. "Loved….past tense, you took that part of me away," she though back to him.

(Well doesn't any one here love the whole full circle plot? Thank you all for reading and commenting on my first fan fiction I feel so much more confident and have a slightly better idea for what people seem to like, next chapter red curtains fall as the last act of Sasori's manipulations of his favorite Marionette, please comment to add your two cents for the last chapter)


	8. Chapter 8

(Hello this will be the final chapter. I think what I listen too while I write really effects what I type up and I was listening to Breaking Benjamin to give you an idea what inspired this final act. I do not own Naruto this fanfic should've proven why.)

Sasuke looked up at Sakura, the women who had used to love him so much "how…how is this even possible?" he asked examining her with his sharingan eyes. Her chakra flow was all wrong, the main built-up wasn't in the abdomen as it should have been but in the center part of the chest to left where the heart would be. Sasori smirked walking up behind his marionette placing a hand on her should resting his cheek against hers as he told the pair "I could explain that but I doubt you'd even begin to understand the magnificence of how I create my art." Naruto took a step forwards as the pupils of his reddening eyes became slits "don't you dare touch her!" he threatened. Sasori looked lazily in his direction shrugging "why not she is mine, besides I've quite thoroughly touched even ravished her even when she was in that pathetic forum you knew her in," he said. That was Naruto's limit his teacher Jiraiya the perverted sage, taught him even though he was a pervert he was honorable one when he told him the worst, lowest thing a man could do…

Naruto charged at Sasori in the way he was first instructed how to recognize him, 'an idiot who charges head first into any battle shouting the loudest.' Naruto charged screaming with the rage that burned inside of him as he raised his hand up in fist leaping high to strike Sasori. He didn't move, he smirked as Sakura took a step forwards and punched Naruto in the gut with her full strength before he could fall on Sasori. Naruto's fist was inches from Sasori's smug face as time seemed to have frozen. He hovered in mid air held up but Sakura's fist in his gut. The moment ended as Naruto was thrown back exhaling all the air in body being tossed far back. Sasuke had to act as he manipulated his chakra into his lightning element. Sakura looked at him and charged not letting him near Sasori. Sasuke filled his kunai with lightning elemental as he threw it at Sasori. Sakura raised her hand and reached out with lighting reflex to grab the Kunai. Sasuke was surprised and horrified she was capable of such a feat and expecting her hand to be seriously damaged. Sakura with her enhanced body was able to see and catch the projectile in mid flight with out even slowing down. Sasuke took a step forwards and activating full body chidory. He easily dodged her attempt to slash him as he grabbed her hopping to shock her into a submission. As soon as he touched her he send thousands of volts electricity through her body. Their eyes made contact for a moment while Sakura unfazed and undamaged grabbed Sasuke's wrists crushing them under far superior physical strength.

Sasori laughed as he noticed Sasuke's confused look walking towards the staggering Naruto. "How is this possible you wonder, I built Sakura to be immune to most elemental chakras with a poly-ceramic and rubber skin to make her look and feel more like real human skin as well as giving her high resilience to fire, and a uniquely conductive alloy frame that also immunizes her to electricity, in the end earth element was the only one couldn't think of a way to either immunize or increase her resistance too," Sasori said focusing on his slowly rising prize. Sasuke immediately stopped his chakra wasting jutsu focusing more on how to break this death grip she held him in. Attempts to use genjutsu on her with his sharingan proved useless she showed no sign of even noticing. He closed his eyes focusing even more chakra into them. He had to grit his teeth as the pain in his wrists grew with each passing second she held him in her unforgiving grip. "Why didn't you love me Sasuke, I would have followed you to Orochimaru to your battle with Itachi, I would have happily rebuilt the Uchiha with you, if you did none of this would have happened, I would still be alive and you may have gotten your revenge by now but, because of you I forced myself to become stronger and that is how Sasori-sama noticed me, now I can't rebuilt the Uchiha with you, I cant bear and give life…now I can now only take life," Sakura told him squeezing ever tighter. Sasuke opened his eyes looking into Sakura's mind.

Sasori walked towards Naruto who was standing up. He spat out blood and wiped his bloody mouth his sleeve, "Shadow clone jutsu," he said making a seal. Sasori found himself sounded by an uncountable number of red eyed angry Naruto's. "What a delay," Sasori mumbled flicking a finger. The Hidan puppet was finally reassembled as it leapt into action sprouting its deadly hooked tentacle blades all over its body. It hovered above Sasori twirling slicing every direction around him. The clones that attacked died in a puff of smoke as the blades hacked around the unconcerned puppeteer. Several of the Naruto's started assisting each other with their Rasengan planning on over whelming him with sheer attack power. Sasori smirked knowing the shadow clone was typically used in observations missions where a shinobi could easily send one behind enemy lines to gather intelligence without the fear of loss of life and learn things hundred of miles away instantly, meaning what one experienced all experienced.

Sasori preformed possibly one of the most difficult string combinations he ever needed to perform. It had always been so with genjutsu puppets but never on this level before. The sharingan of the Itachi puppet changed as Sasori activated its Mangekyo sharingan intending on using the Tsukuyomi. The multitude of Naruto clones with Rasengan in their hands leapt at Sasori as he activated his puppets most feared Ability. For the Naruto that was caught in the puppets gaze the sun had turned blood red as the sky seemed to fast forwards through time, all objects around Naruto took bleak a black and white color. The Naruto was alone strapped to a table with the Itachi puppet and Sasori looking down on him. Naruto raised his head the only thing he could do and saw in horror a puppet that looked exactly like him with blank eyes and hole where the heart would be rested hanging across from him. "What are you doing?" Naruto demanded struggling against his bonds. "I'm going to show you how I made Sakura into my greatest work of art," he said reaching for a scalpel. The Itachi puppet grabbed Naruto's shirt and ripped it open exposing his chest. Naruto panicked and struggled franticly also mentally trying in vain every counter to end a genjutsu he knew. Sasori made his first cut slicing throw Naruto's chest cutting deeply and accurately. Naruto was awake during the whole genjutsu nightmare and fully aware of the pain as Sasori cut out his heart sealed it into a capsule and placed him inside the puppet. The next horror was discovered as Naruto experienced having no control, he now understood the real horror of what it meant to be one of Sasori's puppets "this is it Naruto, you can not save her, I own her mind body and soul, she is mine" he told him flatly showing him how true his words where. Naruto shut his eyes truing wanting it to stop. He immediately opened them to find himself strapped back on a table in a living body with the Itachi puppet and Sasori above him. "Apparently from my understanding this has been the first second of the Illusion, there is seventy-one hours, fifty-nine minuets and fifty-nine seconds more to go," Sasori explained to Naruto repeating his torture.

The Naruto clones exploded leaving the whole area in huge cloud. The real Naruto stood some place a few meters behind him clutching his chest falling onto his knees. "So that clone shared its experience with the others now did it," Sasori remarked exhilarated from the combined successes of puppet's attack, the quickness of his victory and the pride of having captured his first Jinjuriki, the Itachi puppet may very well yet replace the third Kazekage he pondered. Naruto lay before the enraged Kyubi "boy give it up and use my power before where both destroyed," it demanded. "No…" Naruto mumbled. "NO! WHY NOT YOU FOOL!" the Kyubi raged desperate to save itself. "Because…you'll try to destroy Sakura…and I won't let you be the one who kills…" Naruto said waking up more. Naruto's eyes slowly opened, his vision was blurry and the migraine he was feeling was unmanageably painful. Sasori looked down on him both highly annoyed and impressed, "maybe I simply cannot use abilities like the old Itachi," he though to himself, "oh well he is weaker now and there is no side effects at lest."

Sasuke was horrified of what he saw in Sakura's mind. It reminded him of when Orochimaru tried to take his body, how the snake was in the center of it all and souls of all the people he had possessed where trapped inside the walls. This time Sasori stood in the center of it all and instead of flesh millions upon millions of blue chakra strings filled the area. Sasuke looked at the people seemingly sleeping trapped and buried within the mountain of strings, his sharingan eye counted over three hundred people. He recognized his brother Itachi seemingly sleeping in the mass of strings towards the left of the smug looking Sasori and to his Right stood the only other awake and aware person there, Sakura. "Welcome Sasuke it is a great honor for you visits my theater, to see my whole collection," Sasori said with the voice full of self admiration. Sasuke noticed the strings seemed to draw tighter around Sakura pulling her in and under the mountain of strings, she showed no sign of caring.

"Release Sakura and my brother now!" Sasuke demanded. Sasori shrugged "I don't really have your brother you do, Sakura is the only real one here every one else is only their forms captured at their perfect moments to be preserved for all time," he explained. Sasuke shook his head "how did you even get my brother?" he asked knowing Madara wouldn't just hand Itachi's body over the puppeteer. "I have a partnership with Zetsu and I didn't need much of Itachi just a few organs so I could recreate his chakra, I would have preferred to have his retinas as well but I couldn't so I made a copy of them using Itachi's chakra for a mold and I think I have succeeded in acquiring some of his eye Abilities," Sasori explained. Sasuke noticed Sasori sending a streak of chakra to the right eye of Itachi, "what are you planning to do?" Sasuke asked bending his knee back in preparation. A second later Sasori smirked and said to Sasuke "nothing I have just completed a successful test in which Naruto help me with it seems I was successful in preserving one Itachi's of abilities." Sasuke was confused but noticed Itachi's Tsukuyomi was his right eye, he may have hated that idiot Naruto, but no human save for this puppet/human before him deserved to go through such a torturous attack. Sasuke moved flashing out and appearing next to Sakura, he grabbed the strings and the whole mass covering her exploded off her. In that instant all things went away the connection between Sakura and Sasori was momentarily severed.

Sakura went limp in Sasuke's arms. He had no time to be gentile as dropped her disappearing and going to Naruto as swiftly as he could. He found Naruto a half second later and appeared beside him, was surprised to find Naruto awake and aware, .if only barely. "Naruto you moron, are you alright?" he asked not trying to let any concern slip into his voice. "Ya…" Naruto said a few seconds later struggling to stand, Sasuke's voice seemed distant and the world seemed to move, "Sasuke…I don't think we can save Sakura…" he said sounding very defeated. "I know Naruto, I think we both know what we have to do," Sasuke said. He suddenly realized this must have been how the village elders and all the people involved with the destruction of the Uchiha must have felt. Naruto shook his head as the world steadied it self more "I know, Sasuke I think…I think I now know what Itachi gave me, I thought he gave me a power to stop you but I think I was for me to give to you to protect you and I need to give it to you now because Sasori is looking very serous right now," Naruto explained sounding stronger with each word. Sasori placed his left hand over his face half hiding his extreme annoyance, "Sasuke how you dare cut away my precious Sakura from me ever for a second, you two are extremely meddlesome I'll shall enjoy killing you Uchiha and extracting the Kyubi from you Jinjuriki," he told that pair.

Sakura screamed "SASORI!" over and over again as she was trapped in her nothing hell. Her rage and hatred for Sasuke boiled over for sending her back to her feared hell, and to Naruto as well as everything that threatened her puppet master the only thing that attached her to the world, the center of her universe. Tender blue chakra strings wrapped around her pulling her out of the hellish nonexistence and made her real, pulled her back into the world. Sasori's voice filled her head "Sakura, I'm here I'm here," his thoughts cooed. Sakura mentally wrapped herself into a tight embrace with Sasori as he wrapped and locked her away tightly against him inside his twisted collection. "No more games, end it now come away with me Sasori we'll collect fine pieces of art together forever but end this now before your taken from me again," Sakura pleaded to him. Sasori chucked at this and told her "we think a like." She knew his course of action as soon as he did.

Sasuke looked up as Sakura walked up beside Sasori and stood at his side protectively. Sasori pulled out three scrolls, the first one was the Akatsuki scroll he summoned Deidara and Kakuzu instantly. Sasuke knew he had built a Deidara puppet from the earlier attack on Konoha but seeing the insane demolition shinobi in front of him again was unnerving, another scroll summoned the third Kazekage. Sasori tossed his last scroll high up into the air as a perfect one hundred Sasuke's sharingan told him puppets appeared above them. "What ever it is Naruto do it now and fast," Sasuke told him. Naruto stood up strait beside Sasuke looking on at the army before him, he reached out and grabbed Sasuke's shoulder with his right hand telling him use his Mangekyo sharingan before he sent a huge surge of the great bulk of chakra he had.

Sasori had never attacked before with his absolute full strength, he was glade Sakura was such a skilled healer for he may need her to keep the Jinjuriki alive it Sasori losses the slightest fraction of control. Everything that Sasori possessed including himself charged at the pair before him. Sasuke's eyes began bleeding, even when he carried the curse seal never before had he ever had this level of chakra in his system he felt as if his insides would burn away as Naruto fought to keep his eyes open as the events took their tool on his body. Sasuke began to recognize what he was creating with his sharingan, his brother's true ultimate ability Susanoo, the one he had never been able to unlock. The ethereal image gave pause to Sasori's army as Sasuke and Naruto combined jutsu created the behemoth before them. Sasori pulled his army back to protect him and Sakura as the apparition's third arm reached out from a snake jar and crashed down on them sealing them away in a dream world.

(I said final chapter, I will of course post an epilogue, given people want one, and well this was my little experiment gone horribly mad. I think I've butchered both the characters and story line quite thoroughly I'm happy to have had as many hits and views as well as comments as you have graciously given me, I think I'll do things much differently for my net fanfic and stay with the lemons not mix it up with fights and killing my own favorite characters, please comment *you have no idea how excited I am to read them* and given I'm not covered in burn for betraying the real story line this badly I'll post the concluding epilogue)


	9. Epilogue

(to all viewers who have read my first fanfic and commentators thank you very much, I'll post this Epilogue for you guys because I know even if I hated the story, cliff hangers are aggravating, also I want to make sure this one is a complete fanfic and that I can walk around with a head held high here, and just maybe I might become a few peoples favorite author give I post enough stories but here it goes, I don't own Naruto, and you should all be thankful I don't)

Under the newly appointed sixth Hokage Uzumaki Naruto following in the foot steps of his father before even surpassing him many claimed. Danzo during his short absence tried rallying support for himself, almost immediately after the Fifth was murdered. When Naruto returned having both avenged the death of countless Konoha defenders as well as the fifth the elders where forced to recognize Naruto as Lady Tsunade's successor as the whole village rallied behind him. He had proven to have both the will and strength to defend the village though enlisting the aid of a missing nin was unorthodox the villagers focused on their savoir. Having convinced Sasuke to take his revenge in another form he was satisfied to watch the elders and Danzo partake in private but no less humiliating tribunal where the elders had many freedoms taken and Danzo placed under indefinite house arrest.

Naruto while powerful was rash at times, many people where happy to see Hinata who seemed to have matured greatly in the resent passing on her cousin began working along side the typically foolhardy man balancing his judgment with her cool level headed personality. Lee had started his own dojo where they produced only the highest level of taijutsu artisans. Many expected him to soon surpass the legacy of his former teacher inspiring other with his fierce determination. The Naruto often attended a small private shrine built in the honor Sakura it was built near the greater one for Tsunade and all other who fell under Sasori's terrible assault on the hidden leaf. Hinata would often accompany him holding his hand in silent support. Neither Sasuke nor Naruto told any one what really happened to Sakura or who Tsunade real killer was, they realized the women they both cared for died long ago and they had sent the last part of her free, no one needed to know the rest lest it tarnish her memory.

Sasuke couldn't stay with the village and turned to leave as the Hokage granted him amnesty for his services both past and prier for the village. Before he left Naruto told him "where ever you go remember their will be some one here who thinks of you, that you have a place and a home here." Sasuke merely called him and idiot as they smirked at each other before he turned to leave. Naruto was mumbling something about that jerk with a huge grin on his face. Hinata looked up at with her lavender eyes smiling at him with one of her shy smiles. Naruto wrapped an arm around her, she blushed but she seemed to have gotten over her feinting spells. "Let's get a bowl of Ramen," Naruto suggested to her giving her his big confident smiles, the future of Konoha shone brightly.

Sasori thought he was immune to all forms on genjutsu, he was wrong. The dream world was hollow and vastly empty. The huge dead serpent that was Orochimaru, died not having a body to jump too or Kabuto's medicine to prolong his life, was the only thing in the landscape. "Gone…my whole collection, all the abilities, the beauty, the art I had designed to be preserved through out all time…lost," Sasori said with defeated realism. Sakura stood behind him sharing in his misery for a few moments before she realized something. She was now his alone, there are no other distracting puppets here for him to focus on, no other people for him to acquire, no demands from Akatsuki, no need to care for time. He was the only man who ever all at once admired her beauty, was dazzled by her mind, desired her talents, and looked in awe of her skills, and now she was his alone. That was something she wanted even before she was turned into a puppet something she wanted all people to think of her even when she was alive. She walked up behind him and wrapped her arms around him hugging his waist. She rubber her cheek against his as she asked him "you till have me Sasori-sama, I'm I not apart of your collection, I'm I not your most prized puppet?"

Sasori turned his head to the side as he cupped her chin in his hand to examine her face. He noticed he had been wrong about one thing all along. The skill of a puppet master is not in how many puppets one can control but how well one can convey life and emotion through a puppet. He examined her smooth pale creamy skin, her soft shoulder length hair that was the color of her namesake, her tender emerald eyes that promised nothing but sweet loving and devotion. They looked into each other eyes as Sakura leaned forwards and softly planted her lips against his. It was more symbolic then it was lustful thus it was short and sweet. Sakura leaned her head down against his shoulder. He took her hand, puppet and puppeteer slowly waltz's on the remains of his enemy Orochimaru. Sasori knew this was it, he had achieved perfection having reached the heist level of puppeteering mastery and finding a way to protect the most precious piece of art for all time, as he and Sakura slowly danced into oblivion.

(Well that's all I have for Sasori Sakura I hope many of you have enjoyed it reading it as I have had typing it. Please comment on the over all story about what did and didn't like *also what could have been done better or nice if I had thought to add* will help me greatly in my next Fanfic, I'll happily consider doing a requests hopefully in the very near future if any of you like my style, the next fanfic will be complete with Lemon galore, suspense, plot twists and into an innocent mind that goes too far off the deep end in obsession, I plan to avoid any actual fights and I swear no character killings *I'm still beating myself up over a few I did* a Naruto Hinata fanfic, its always the quite ones)


	10. Epilogue Version 2

(Well I read one or two commits saying they wished Sasori had won the final battle and I had tossed the idea back and forth for a bit and decided to post this short alternate ending just want to know what people think and to mess with all your heads)

Sakura beamed happily playing with the toys Sasori made for her. He had no use for them having similar talents in one way or the other already save the Jinjuriki but he had decided to give this toy to her as a nice gesture. The boys had foolishly placed all their remaining chakra into a genjutsu type attack. Sasori and Sakura being puppets where completely immune and the exhausted boys couldn't put up a resistance to the full might of Sasori's deadly play. He kept Naruto alive to be delivered to the Akatsuki, the leader didn't care what Sasori did with the remains. After wards the village of the hidden leaf fled into their mountain defense at the sight of Sasori's army leaving their cemetery unguarded. Now Sakura had her team seven back together Kakashi, Naruto, and Sasuke all belonged to her and would never leave her again.

Sakura wrapped her arms around the perfect image of Sasuke giggling while she flirted with him as she would have long ago asking him out on a date she knew he wouldn't refuse. After she poked fun at Naruto's attics calling him a Baka but not really meaning it as she hung out with her friend that will now always be there. Then she played with Kakashi reminding him of the old days when he could so easily take her on and now he must be getting old because she can now fight him as an equal. Sasori looked on watching Sakura it reminded him so much of how he used to often play with his puppets that where his parents, his friends, and often his old comrades that would forever faithfully be their ready to entertain him, to love him. He twitched a finger ever now and then to make the team seven puppets come to life and play with his most precious doll.

Sakura embraced her team all wrapping each other in a group hug as Sasori made the unfeeling dolls come to life. She didn't have team seven back together the way she had imagined but they would be together forever. She no longer feared any of them leaving her because she knew time didn't matter, there would be no quests for vengeance or goals seeking greater strength, nothing would end this play. Sasori had composed his master piece act Team Seven with Sakura as his main character, his star.

(Just did this for the few people that mentioned it though I would love to hear what you think, go to go back and finish working on my other fanfic)


End file.
